(Membership is Not Required).

UPC’S 1st All Women’s “Battle for the Bag” is Coming July 12, 2026. OPEN-MIC will accommodate 20 POETS (NO LESS THAN 15) ON A FIRST-COME-FIRST-SERVED BASIS, AT SHAPESHIFTER LAB: 837 UNION STREET, Brooklyn, NY, USA. Doors Open 6:30 PM. Battle Begins 7: PM, Ends 10: PM.

TICKETS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE SUNDAY, JAN. 4, 2026, at Eventbrite.com.

STAY CONNECTED FOR UPDATES AND MORE INFORMATION.

1. Women (18 years +)

2. Men (18 years +)

See Battle Rules

SERVICE NOTICE: 4-Point Omega Pub. has recently made some necessary changes to competition rules to ensure fairness and clarity for participants. We apologize for any inconvenience or confusion these changes may have caused and hope that your helpful comments and support will continue going forward.

RESTRICTIVE RULES & COMPLIANCES

Content considered offensive or discriminating in any manner, including sexist, ageist, racist, religious, or anti any social demographic, and pornography will be disqualified. Musical accompaniments are not allowed. Props are also not allowed in order to ensure the personal safety of our performers and attending audience. Thank you for your cooperation.

4-Point Omega Pub. appreciates your commitment to non-offensive poetry and recitation for the wellbeing of each poet’s reputation and for UPC’s reputation as sustainable literary agents of poetry.

All battle poetry must be the poet’s ORIGINAL work.

PRIZES FOR “BATTLE FOR THE BAG” OPEN MIC WINNER(S).

ONE WOMAN WILL RECEIVE A $1000 CHASE BANK MONEY ORDER CHECK + A Crystal Microphone Trophy and UPC’s Official Poetic Alchemist Award for Excellence in Poetic Recitation & Performance.

SPECIAL NOTE

Our CHASE Bank Money Order Check (the same as any Money Order or Check) requires valid ID presented at any CHASE Bank or Check Casher before it can be exchanged for currency. Please be advised that in order to mitigate security concerns, UPC does not issue awards in cash.

BATTLE RULES

UPC prefers that performing poets refrain from using the N word (historically or currently genre-driven) in any of its controversial forms or definitions to embellish or express poetic or personal sentiment, including language that might be offensive to any social demographic. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

POETS MAY PERFORM ANY TYPE OF POETRY, INCLUDING HIP-HOP POETRY, EXCLUDING EXCESSIVE USE OF PROFANITY AND CATEGORICALLY OFFENSIVE TERMS THAT REFER DEROGATORILY TO ANY DEMOGRAPHIC (INCLUDING RACE, SEX, RELIGION, AGE, POLITICAL AFFILIATION, OR IDEOLOGY).

POETS WILL COMPETE FOR 7-8 MINUTES EACH FOR TWO ROUNDS. AT THE END OF ROUND ONE, THE TEN POETS WITH THE HIGHEST SCORE WILL COMPETE IN ROUND TWO. AT THE END OF ROUND TWO, THE POET WITH HIGHEST SCORE WILL BE AWARDED “LADIES CRYSTAL OPEN MIC” CHAMPION AND RECEIVE HER WINNINGS.

TIE-BREAKER RULES

IF THERE IS A 2-WAY TIE BETWEEN POETS AT THE END OF ROUND ONE, POETS WILL HAVE THE OPTION TO SHARE THE $1000 ($500 EACH) OR CONTINUE TO COMPETE, UNTIL THERE IS ONE CLEAR WINNER.

IF THERE IS A 3-WAY TIE, THE THREE POETS WILL CONTINUE TO COMPETE, UNTIL THERE IS ONE CLEAR WINNER.

JUDGING

Judges will be preselected by 4-Point Omega Pub in advance of the competition. Competing Attendees will receive scores for their poetry based on a Scoring Chart, which Competing Attendees will receive no later than 30 days prior to Ladies’ Event Night.

SCORING CHART FOR JULY 12, 2026, CLICK HERE

THIS ENTIRE EVENT WILL BE VIDEO RECORDED.

By competing in this Open Mic Poetry Competition, poets give consent to release their likeness on video for promotional reasons at UPC Organizer’s discretion. For performance on video, Performing Poets agree to receive a 1-time CHASE BANK MONEY ORDER CHECK payment of $100 on the day of the event or the same amount via electronic payment the following day (via ZELLE. NO OTHER FORM OF ELECTRONIC PAYMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE.

Performers will receive a video copy of their performance at no cost, no later than 60 days after the event.

Poets who received their MBA may contact their event organizer for updates.

This event is sponsored by Universal Poets’ Club, LLC and 4-Point Omega Publications, a parent company.

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